Articles are frequently transported within the interiors of automobiles. Articles which are carried within automobiles are numerous, but include purses, shopping bags, cassette tapes, cellular phones, maps, books, travel guides, umbrellas, cosmetics, toys, portable flashlights, mail, baby bottles, snacks, groceries, including bottles and glasses which are subject to breaking and leaking and food items which may be crushed or mashed, facial tissues, pillows, sports equipment, including balls that tend to roll around, and the like.
Many of the items listed are placed on or around the front passenger seat area of the automobile, or on the dashboard. As the driver enters the car, it is convenient to place articles on the seat next to the driver. Likewise, articles are frequently and commonly placed on the floor of the vehicle.
Glove boxes or compartments and other storage compartments provided in automobiles by the manufacturer are not large enough for many of the items which people routinely carry in their cars. Further, such storage compartments are not convenient for all uses. For example, if a driver of an automobile purchases a gallon of milk at a convenience store, he or she is most likely to place the gallon of milk on the seat beside him or her, or on the floor of the automobile. A glove box is not large enough to contain such an article, and even if the article were of smaller size, many drivers will not take the time to open the glove box to place an article within it only to drive a short distance and remove the article from the car.
The presence of loose articles within a car presents a safety hazard. A loose article will fly about the interior during a sudden stop, start or turn, or during an impact. Loose articles will slide or shift beneath the operator's feet or the automobile's brake, accelerator or clutch pedals. Such occurrences increase the risk of injury to the driver or other passengers. Sudden stops of a more routine nature may cause an article to be thrown from a seat onto the floor of the vehicle, or about the floor, causing frustration for the driver or damage to the article. For example, a purse displaced from the seat may cause the purse to spill its contents, or a gallon of milk thrown about the car during a routine, but sudden, stop may cause the container to rupture. In most vehicles, there is no convenient storage container provided which will contain any article except the smallest of articles within the interior of the vehicle.
Similarly, a need exists for storage within the home, office or yard where suitable host objects such as chairs, loungers or dirty clothes hampers are present. For example, children's toys may be dispersed about a yard, the beach, or within a room.